US, Iran trade blows as Gulf allies targeted
• Iran launches fresh missile, drone attacks on Kuwait, Bahrain • Kuwait says new attack ‘dangerous escalation’; Bahrain denounces ‘blatant aggression’ • Falling debris causes ‘material damage’ in Kuwait • Centcom says four attack drones downed near Hormuz; Iranian coastal radar sites also hit • Trump says Iran has ‘22pc’ of missiles left • US okays sale of $2bn in anti-drone weapons to Kuwait KUWAIT CITY: Iran launched fresh missile and drone attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait early on Saturday, while the United States said it struck Iranian coastal radar sites after intercepting missiles and drones aimed at Gulf allies and the Strait of Hormuz, further straining a fragile ceasefire. Bahrain and Kuwait intercepted seven Iranian missiles, while Bahrain also destroyed several drones, officials said. It was the second attack on both Gulf states since Wednesday. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had targeted “enemy bases” with missiles after the US military said it struck radar sites in Iran and downed drones headed towards the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Bahrain, home to the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet, denounced the attacks against its territory and neighbouring Kuwait as “blatant aggression” and “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of both countries”. In Bahrain’s capital Manama, an AFP journalist reported hearing three explosions, while the interior ministry said air raid sirens had sounded across the country. Later, Bahrain’s military said its air defences had “successfully intercepted and destroyed three missiles and several drones”. Kuwait also condemned the attacks, calling them a “direct threat” to the lives of citizens and residents and a “dangerous escalation” at a time when the international community was making efforts to stop combat operations. In Kuwait, an AFP journalist reported hearing repeated blasts near the country’s international airport, which had been struck on Wednesday in an attack blamed on Iran that killed one person. “We woke up to a huge explosion. The explosions were very loud,” Reem, an Egyptian mother of two, said, referring to the Saturday attacks. “My children were terrified, and I couldn’t calm them down,” she said. Kuwait’s military said it had “engaged seven hostile ballistic missiles” in Kuwaiti airspace. It added that some interceptions over residential areas caused falling debris, resulting in material damage but no casualties. In the hours after the barrages, Kuwait’s aviation authority announced the resumption of air traffic, saying 11 Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways flights had been diverted during an airspace closure caused by the Iranian attack. Qatar, Egypt and Jordan joined Bahrain and Kuwait in condemning the attacks, calling them violations of sovereignty and international law. In a statement, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for de-escalation and stressed the necessity of sparing the region the consequences of “unjustified attacks”. Egypt also strongly condemned the “heinous Iranian attack that targeted Kuwait and Bahrain”, terming them a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the two countries and “a dangerous escalation that threatens the security and stability” of the entire region. The Jordanian foreign ministry said in a statement that the attacks constitute a blatant breach of international law and the United Nations Charter. US strikes Iranian sites US Central Command said six of the seven ballistic missiles fired towards Kuwait and Bahrain were downed, while the seventh “did not reach its intended target”. Centcom also said US forces downed four one-way attack drones before they could threaten maritime traffic near the Strait of Hormuz. US forces then struck Iranian coastal radar sites to prevent further attacks. No US personnel were harmed, Centcom said. Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the US attack on coastal radar installations in the Gulf, calling it a “flagrant” violation of the ceasefire in place since April. It described the strikes as an attack “on the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic republic” and denounced Washington’s “hostile and provocative behaviour”. Trump says Iran still has missiles US President Donald Trump claimed Iran still had “21, 22 per cent” of its missiles left after Tehran fired dozens across the region. “They still have capacity. They have some missiles, they have some drones. I would say, percentage-wise, maybe 21, 22pc of their missiles,” Trump told NBC News. The estimate is higher than the 18pc he gave in May. Trump has often claimed to have completely destroyed Iran’s war-fighting capacity. Weeks of complex talks marked by threats and flare-ups of violence have failed to secure a deal to end the war. However, Trump said Iran had “got no choice” except to reach an agreement. “They’re strong, they’re proud, there are things they never thought they’d be doing that they’re going to have to do,” he said. Meanwhile, the United States also announced its approval of a $1.98 billion arms sale to Kuwait, one of the Gulf countries hit by Iranian strikes during the Middle East war. In a statement, the US State Department said it would allow purchases of counter-drone technology from defence company Anduril, which was founded by a supporter of President Trump. “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major non-Nato ally that has been an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East,” the statement said. Published in Dawn, June 7th, 2026